India & US
The two sides also deliberated on ways to increase information sharing as well as new initiatives to improve maritime cooperation, including in the undersea domain.
In a statement, the defence ministry said both sides will identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and the co-production of existing and new systems besides facilitating increasing collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries.
“Towards these objectives, they concluded a roadmap for US-India defence industrial cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the next few years,” it said.
The ministry said the meeting between Singh and Austin was “warm and cordial” and the two sides discussed a “substantial range” of bilateral defence cooperation issues, with a particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation.
In a series of tweets,
Singh said the talks revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including the convergence of strategic interests and security cooperation.
“India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound IndoPacific region. We look forward to closely work with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership,” Singh said.
The defence ministry said both sides reviewed the robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation activities and agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement.
“They welcomed the inaugural dialogues held recently focusing on defence artificial intelligence and defence space. They also discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” it said.
In his remarks at the media briefing, Austin said that as the world’s two largest democracies, India and the US have a unique role in preserving the rules-based international order that “keeps us all secure”.
“Our global and strategic partnership has continued to rapidly grow. Today the USIndia partnership is a cornerstone for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Our deepening bond shows how technological innovation and growing military cooperation between two great powers can be a force for global good,” he said. Secretary Austin described his talks with Singh and Doval as “productive”
“Democracies must now rally together in common interests and shared values. Preserving and protecting freedom are essential to peace and prosperity and require vigorous leadership from the US and India,” he said.
“So we still have a lot of work to do. I am confident that the US-India partnership will help secure an open and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific and the wider world,” he said.
The US Defence Secretary arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day tour.